Device for turning welts on hosiery.



W. E. GHIPMAN. DEVICE FOR TURNING WELTS 0N HOSIEEY.

Patented June 30, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9 1912.

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Imwwiw mama/2 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASH1NGTON. n. c.

-W. E. CHIPMAN. DEVICE FOR TURNING WELTS 0N HOSIERY.

Y APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1912. 191019522: Patented June 30, 1914.

2 SHBETSSHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c

WILLIAM EVAN GHIPMAN', or E'ASTON, rnNNsYLvANIA,

DEVICE FOR TURNING WELTS ON HOSIERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 9, 1912.

Patented June 30, 1914.

Serial No. 670,138.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. CHIP- MAN, of Easton, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Device for Turning Welts on Hosiery, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In the making of hosiery provided with a turned welt at the top, difficulty is experienced, especially where the welt is a deep one, in turning the welt by hand, and particularly in keeping the welt of even depth all around. To overcome this difliculty, and to facilitate the turning of the welt, and to insure its evenness, I have devised the following mechanism:

Essentially this mechanism comprises a large tube and a smaller tube, with mechanism for moving the smaller into the larger tube. Initially the smaller tube is below the end of the large tube, and the stocking is adjusted so that its lower end passes through the small tube, while its upper end surrounds the lower end of the large tube. Thereupon by the longitudinal movement of the smaller tube, said smaller tube is received within the large tube, for a suflicient distance to turn the welt.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a specific embodiment of my invention, which I will now describe.

In the drawings, Figure I, is a front elevation. Fig. II, is a side elevation of the mechanism. Fig. III, is a vertical section along the line III, III, of Fig. II. Fig. IV, is a cross section along the line IV, IV, of Fig. II. Fig. V, is a vertical section along the line V, V, of Fig. II. Fig. VI, is a similar section with the relative position of the parts arranged for the formation of the welt.

The mechanism is supported by an upright standard 1, at the top of which is attached a bracket 2, to which is suspended the large tube 3, which is of a diameter corresponding roughly to the size of the hosiery upon which the welt is to be turned. An adjustable strap or belt 4, surrounds the tube 3, and is adjusted thereon by means of the screw 5, according:- to the depth of welt which is desired. The standard 1, further supports the brackets 10, 11, which comprise sliding bearings in which a slide rod 12, plays vertically being normally springpressed upwardly by the coiled spring 13,

which surrounds the rod, and is interposed between the bracket 11, and the collar 14. Near the lower end of the rod is set an adjustable stop collar 15, in order to regulate the extent of the upward thrust of the rod under the tension of the spring 13. To the upper end of this slide rod is attached the small tube 20, in such a way as to be in alinement with the large tube 3, the difference in diameter between the tubes permitting the small tube to be received within the larger tube. This smaller tube is slotted in front, as shown in Fig. I, in order to permit the more ready passage of the hosiery through the tube. It is also provided with finger catches 21, to facilitate the depression of the tube.

A catch is provided to hold the smaller tube in its lowermost position, as shown in Figs. II, and III, against the tension of the spring 13. This comprises the projection 30, which is fast to the tube 20, and the extremity of which runs in a slot 31, between vertical guides 32, 32, set upon the standard 1. A lever 33, is centrally pivoted at 34, with stops by means of which the lower end of this lever acts as a detent to hold down the small tube by contact with the projection 30, said lever being normally held in this position by the pull of a spring 35; but if the upper end of the lever is pulled crosswise, as is readily done by a slight touch of the fingers, the catch is released so that the small tube moves upward under the pressure of its spring.

In operation, the stocking is passed upward through the small tube, as is readily accomplished by reason of its slot, and then the upper end of the stocking is adjusted around the lower end of the large tube, so that it reaches to the strap 4, which operates as a guide for this purpose. Holding the stocking in this position, the operator by touching the lever 33, releases the catch, so that the small tube is pushed up within the large tube, by the spring 13, to the extent permitted by the collar 15, which ordinarily should be so adjusted as to bring the top of the small tube about even with the adjusting strap 4.

The position of the stocking prior to the movement of the tubes, is indicated in Fig. V, and in Fig. VI, the position is indicated after the movement has occurred, and the welt has been formed. After the formation of the welt, the operator pushes the small tube down again by the aid of the finger catch, taking care that the folds of the welt remain as made, the large tube simply withdrawing from between the folds. The stocking is then removed from the small tube, with the welt folded to a proper depth and with perfect evenness of the fold, and is sewed at the top.

By means of this device, not only can the welt bcturned more easily and more evenly than by hand, but a deeper welt can be pro duced. Heretofore it has been unusual, and has been considered impractical commercially, to turn a welt over five inches in length. It is desirable to provide long hosiery with deeper welts, and by means of the use of my device, this is easily accomplished.

()ne of the difficulties in turning deep welts by hand, arises from the fact that tubular fabric knit of a single yarn, comes off the machine with a spiral twist, and it has been practically impossible for the operator to turn by hand a welt over two and onehalf inches long, and get the wales straight. If the welt is turned so that the wales run diagonally, the diagonal runs one way on the outside of the welt, and the opposite direction on the inside of the welt, which is not only objectionable in appearance, but by reason of the diagonal wales pulling in opposition to each other, the elasticity of the stocking is very much diminished. By the use of my invention, when the fabric is pulled over the large tube, the operator can place the wales perfectly straight, and this condition will be perpetuated in the completed stocking. Furthermore, by reason of the evenness with which the welt is turned, the sewing of the welt is rendered more easy to accomplish.

Having thus described my device, I claim:

1. A device for turning a welt at the top of a. stocking, comprising a large tube over which the end of the stocking is placed, a small tube through which the stocking extends, and a spring for moving said tubes relative to each other for folding the welt, said stocking being free from tension within said small tube, whereby said stocking slips over the edge of the tube during the folding of the welt.

2. A device for turning a welt at the top of a stocking comprising a large tube over which the end of the stocking is placed, a small tube through which the stocking eX- tends, said tube being slotted from end to end to permit the insertion of the stocking, a spring for moving said tubes relative to each other for folding the welt, and means for holding said tubes in spaced relation against the tension of said spring.

3. A device for turning a welt at the top of a stocking, comprising a large tube over which the end of the stocking is placed, a small tube through which the stocking eX- tends, means for moving said tubes relative to each other for folding the welt, said stocking being free from tension within said small tube, whereby said stocking slips over the edge of the tube during the folding of the welt, said means for moving said tubes comprising a spring, a catch for holding the tubes from movement by the spring, and means for releasing the catch.

4. A device for turning a welt at the top of a stocking, comprising a large tube over which the end; of the stocking is placed, a small tube through which the stocking extends, means for moving said tubes relative to each other for folding the welt, said stocking being free from tension within said small tube, whereby said stocking slips over the edge of the tube during the folding of the welt, said large tube having an adjustable guide thereon for determining the width of the welt, and means for limiting the movement of the tubes relative to each other.

5. A device for turning a welt at the top of a stocking, comprising a large tube, means for supporting said tube, a small tube adapted to be moved within said large tube, a sliding rod for supporting said small tube, a spring encircling said rod and moving said small tube within said large tube, a stop for limiting the movement of the small tube through the action of the spring, a catch for preventing the movement of the small tube when the spring is compressed, and means for releasing said catch, said means including a lever extending to a point adjacent the tube, whereby the stocking may be held by the hands of the operator around said large tube and said catch simultaneously released.

' 6. A device for turning a Welt at the top of a stocking comprising a large tube over which the end of the stocking is placed, a small tube through which the stocking eX- tends, said small tube having a slot extending throughout its entire length to permit the insertion ofrthe stocking therein, and means for moving said tubes relative to each other whereby the stocking may be held by the hands of the operator around the large tube and caused by the movement of the tubes relative to each other to be folded into a welt over the small tube. V

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Easton, Pennsylvania, this fourth day of January 1912.

WILLIAM EVAN OI-HPMAN. Witnesses: JOHN BRUNNER, JOHN T. GARNEYV Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

